Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-03-10
THE COUNTY SOLONS.
Adjourned Meeting of the Board of
THIRD DAY.

Supervisors -Onicial Proceedings.
THIRD DAY.
March 9-Bosrd met pursuant to adj
journment, Present, all the members,
Supervisor Bowman, chairman, prtsid>
ing Minutes of yesterdays proceedings
read and approved.
The following report of special com>
mittee was by request of Supervisors
Fitzgerald, Rosenield and Goodlow laid
over until tomorrow morning:
The undersigned special committee ap-
pointed by your honorable body and
charged with the duty of looking after
the interests of the county in the matter
of criminal prosecutions, etc, b leave
TO report MS follows:
That they have investigated the matter
as far and as fully as they were able to
do in the limited time they were able to
devote to the matter. From conversa-
ton with the honorable judge of the
circuit court we learned that he cOUsld~
cred it imperative that the county should
furnish help to the attorney for the peo-
pie in the murder cases, and that be con-
sidered in view of the universal usage in
the legal profession in this judicial dis
triCt, that the sum of $25 per day for
such service would be very reasonable
charge. Other legal gentlemen also coin
cided with this view; so also did the Off
GERS in the public service who were post
ed and knew the prevailing usage,
We therefore secured the services Of
the Hon u lNara without tlNInU 6l
mite figures, but providing for the
decision of an umpire in case of disagree
ment as to the total amount. Fourteen
days of faithful and labOrious service
were occupied in the two murder trials OF
the term of court Just closed. We CON
ferred with Mr.. Mara. and without any
special assistance, only stating the op
pressive burden of this tax-ridden coun-
" he eheerfully made his entire bill at
$500 for the fourteen days service, in
stead of $3.50. as it would have been by
The prevailing usage. We therefore re-
spectfully recommend the payment of
his bill us presented. l. is to be hoped.
however, that these very grave emtrgen-
cles may be of less frequent occurrence
in the future than they have been in the
past.
The frequent occurrence of expensive
criminal prosecutions, involving the tdXN
payers in continually increasing burdens,
Is in the opinion of your committee,
greatly facilitated and promoted by the
ease with which indictments may be and
are obtained before the grand Jury. Then
IN these come in the clouds of witnesses,
summoned to prove character and make
by their very numbers moral impression
on the public mind, although ottentimes
only few are used
In view of the fearful drain on our
county treasury, aud of sill the considera-
tlons which the Law of self Preservation
justly observed may press on the atten
ton OF taxpayers of this county We re
spectfully offer for your consideration and
action the following resolutions:
Res0issd. l, That We urgently request
our representatives in our state lcgisla-
ture TO use all their influence 10 abolish
the grand jury system.
?. That we will not in the future pay
for more than five witnesses summoned
70 prove character
E \. HOLLISTER.
E II BOWMAN.
Committee
The committee on public expenditures
submitted their report which, on motion
nj Supervisor As,er, was recOmmitted ta
the committee
The committee on public expenditures
submitted the following report which, on
motion of Supervisor Fitzgerald, was
received and adopted
Your committee on public expendl-
lures claims would beg leave to report
that they have examined all cllnns pre-
sented before them, and recommend the
payment of the following, and that the
clerk he directed to issue orders for the
several amounts TO the several claimants
TO wit
c Mining Co 500 50 TayIs & CO.. q %
Mot & LiddeTs. IS ~ Same -......-.--. ! 81
ia. IA 2 JIpbr IN